ceramic lesson plans: coil pot

Teacher's sample of a coil pot.

Title: Ceramic Coil Pots

Topic: learning to work with clay, sculpture

Goals & Objectives:

• Students will model clay with control.
• Students will build upon past knowledge in order to craft an original, three-dimensional artwork.
• Through observation, investigation and discipline, students will create an art object demonstrating the use of the elements and principles of design.
• Students will use ceramic vocabulary when referring to the processes of shaping clay objects.

GLEs:

Strand I: Product/Performance for Sculpture, Ceramics, Other Media

A.2. Select and apply three-dimensional media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas and solve challenging visual art  problems.

Grade 4 - Build or layer materials to create a relief, Apply a variety of paper folding techniques, Modeling with clay or a similar material;,Make organic forms

Grade 5 - Combine simple forms to create a complex object/form (in-the-round), Use paper joining techniques such as tabs and slits, Modeling with clay or a similar material:, Build a form using a coil techniques

Strand II: Elements and Principles – Form

C. 1. Select and use elements of art for their effect in communicating ideas through artwork.

Grade 4 - Identify and demonstrate relief sculpture, Identify and use organic form

Grade 5 - Identify and use the illusion of form: cube, sphere, cylinder, and cone

Grade: 4^th and 5th

Length of Class Period: 55 min.

Frequency of Class Period: once a week

Time Needed: two class period

Facility & Equipment Requirements:

• One computer lap top
• Room with good lighting
• Large tables, approximately ten, each seating four students
• Two sinks
• Dry erase board
• Drying racks
• Cabinets for storage
• Projector for viewing computer video, CDs and DVDs
• Kiln for firing ceramic coil pots

Resources Needed:

Diagram for rolling coils to be projected on a white board.

• Tips for beginning potters by Murry's Pottery. This video collection is appropriate for very young students. Murry shows basic techniques, child appropriate language, kind voice, secular presentations, excellent visuals and explanations. (15 videos)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5O2mJELhRg&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
• Sample diagram for the chalkboard/interactive whiteboard 

Materials Per Student:

• Both a large and small paint brush
• A selection of glazes (I like Ceramic SpeedBall Glazes) in egg carton, one carton per four students
• A large container of water, one per four students
• A paper towel
• Amount of clay approximating the size of a tennis ball per student is used for the modeling of this object
• Each student will need one burlap placemat to keep his/her working space clean and also to prevent clay from sticking to their counter space while he/she works
• A pencil for scoring the clay

Vocabulary/Terminology:

1.  pinch - to form clay between the fingers and the palm
2. coil - a rope-like formation of clay
3. slab - a evenly rolled or pressed layer of clay
4. bisque - is clay that has been fired but not yet glazed
5. ceramics - are objects created from stoneware, porcelain or terra cotta
6. clay - soil, water and sand
7. fire - is the name for the heat that is used in a kiln
8. glaze - a glass paint used on pottery
9. kiln - a special oven used for hardening clay
10. greenware - pottery that is not yet fired in a kiln
11.  leather hard - the hard condition of clay when it is almost air-dry
12. score - roughen the clay's surface so that a bond may be formed between two surfaces
13.  sculpture - a three-dimensional art work
14. slip - a liquid clay used to glue two pieces together
15. texture - press into the clay surface with objects to create a pattern, design or rough surface

Motivation- Looking and Talking Activity: The teacher will demonstrate the following steps before the lesson begins.

Step-by-Step Studio Activity Specifics:

1. Roll the moist clay ball between your palms.
2. Use your thumbs to make a shallow dent no deeper than ½ inch into the clay ball.
3. Remove your thumb and insert it again into the shallow hole slowly and push deeper into the clay ¼ inch.
4.  Remove your thumb and insert it again into the hole slowly pushing deeper into the clay approx. ¼ inch deeper.
5. Remove your thumb.
6. Hold the clay ball with your left hand if you are right-handed or with your right hand if your are left-handed.
7. Insert your dominant hand’s thumb into the hole and wrap your four remaining fingers over the top of the clay ball. Keep these fingers together and pinch with your thumb on the inside of the hole towards your fingers. This will make the interior wall of the clay ball thinner as you gently turn the ball while pinching slowly. Teachers can demonstrate this movement also at this time by using a plastic, transparent cup to show students what they can only feel (not see) while pinching into clay. See photo just above Step-by-Step for reference.
8. Once the hole is widen enough to fit both of your thumbs into it, switch to pinching with both hands simultaneously. Wrap both sets of four fingers around the clay ball and continue to pinch and turn until your ball looks more like a pot. (The teacher may refer to this step as “driving a car” for very young students.)
9. Once the walls of the pot are an even thickness, (approx. ½ inch) shape the bottom of your pot by gently tapping it on your desktop to form a flat surface.
10. After forming your pinch pot, roll a variety of “snake” shapes. Some of these may be spun around into coils.
11.  Roll tiny balls too.
12. Scratch and drip water into the edges of these spirals, balls, and snake shapes before gently pinching them together to form additional height on top of your pinch pot.
13. After the coil pot has been fired, students may glaze three coats of every color at the very least in order to properly cover ceramic pots.
14. Try not to apply glaze to the bottom surface edges of footed pots if it can be helped.
15. Students may later glue a circular felt round to the bottom of their ceramic pieces to avoid leaving scratches on furniture.

Special Needs Adaptations:

Modifications for the hard-of-hearing or deaf student:

• Student will be seated closer to instructor so they will be better equipped to hear instructions or read lips
• Student will be provided with written instructions so that they read about the discussions and demonstrations
• The instructor may use a amplification devise provided by the school or student’s parents

Modifications for the student with limited vision or blindness:

• Students will be allowed to observe samples of art projects with their hands and for extended periods of time
• Students will be provided with safe tools and one-on-one guidance during a demonstration of the project
• The project may be slightly adjusted to accommodate the student’s limitations or for safety reasons
• Student will be given ample time to exist classroom before large crowds gather outside of the classroom.

Modifications for students with mild brain injury:

• Students will be provided with duplicate instructions for home and school. Student will not need to remember to carry home materials to review.
• Students will be given ample time to exist classroom with a pre-determined aid or peer before the official end of a class.
• Instructor will provide for parent e-mail communication concerning the progress and needs of their student.
• Student may be given special seat assignment in order to enable his participation in class appropriately. Specific peers may be better equipped to articulate projects visually for this student.

Health & Safety Concerns: There are no health and safety concerns for this project.

Cleanup Time & Strategy: Students will be instructed to put away art materials neatly in their containers, clean off their tables, and recycle their trash two minutes prior to dismissal.

Assessment: The teacher will grade the studio assignment and worksheet according to a rubric included with the standard grading charts of the district.

Teacher's sample of coil pot as seen from above.

Coil pots on display at a student exhibit.

Coil pot up close at a student exhibit.

 all articles and lesson plans are copyrighted 2011 by Grimm